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The original was posted on /r/weightroom by /u/No_Lie2603 on 2024-02-10 22:47:26.

Hey all,

TL;DR, 100% worth the money ($24.99) and more importantly, the time.

This is my review of Alexander Bromley’s Fullsterkur strongman program 6 week base phase, full program available on Boostcamp. The program is meant as an introduction to strongman for those without access to the typical gambit of implements (yoke, log, axle, stones, etc). Please see the links below for more information on Mr. Bromley and the program:

My Background

I came to the program on January 1st with the aim to break up the monotony of running an LP for several months. I (27M) have been lifting on and off since high school, but have started taking it a little more seriously in the past few of years. However, due to some mental health issues, I severely neglected training for the better part of 2023. I regained some ground running GZCLP, but eventually burnt out on the trio of weekly AMRAPS and high percentage volume sets. My goals were:

  • To pivot off of a traditional LP for the first time
  • Try something different than a plain-old SBD focus and become more well-rounded
  • Regain some lost pressing strength

I may do a strongman competition at some point in the future, but my current focus is on building a better strength and fitness base and prepare as a novice for the 2024 Highland Games season. As such, I do not feel it is time for me to run a peaking program, which is why this review just focuses on the base phase. The base phase and peak phase are different enough that each may merit their own separate reviews.

I ran the program in a slight caloric deficit with the last two weeks at maintenance. Additionally, I tweaked my upper back doing strict presses on Christmas day 2023, just before starting this program on January 1st. I made essentially no changes to the program other than throwing occasionally, doing some light atlas stones for fun, etc.

Stats

  • Height: 6’ 0"
  • Bodyweight before: ~235
  • Bodyweight after: ~227
Movement All Time PR Estimated PRs Before 6 Weeks Estimated / Actual PRs After 6 Weeks
Squat 405 lb x1 345 lb x1 345 lb x1
Bench 275 lb x1 ~250 lb x1 ~250 lb x1
Push Press 255 lb x1 ~155 lb x1 ~185 lb x1
Clean 225 lb x 1 175 lb x 1 ~205 lb x 1
Deadlift 1RM 435 lb x1 405 lb x 1 ~435-445 lb x1
Deadlift 1min AMRAP ? 290 lb x 21 315 lb x 19

The Program

Without giving too much away (as this is a paid program), here are some details about the composition of the base phase of the program:

  • Big focus on overhead pressing and deadlifts, two areas key to strongman events.
  • Benching takes a major backseat, with squats also not being a huge focus. This makes sense, as overhead pressing and hinge-dominant movements are typically more prevalent in strongman competitions.
  • Ample accessory work focusing on building the upper back, lats, delts, and posterior chain.
  • Bromley style periodization scheme, with very well thought out modulation of absolute intensity, perceived effort, and volume. If you watch Bromley’s amazing videos on programming and periodization, you can see how he applies them to this program.
    • Definitely watch his Fire Your Coach series.
  • As a part of his style, the weeks have a great deal of variation in sets and rep schemes, making it easy to keep things from feeling stale.

Review of Results

Deadlift

As such, my bench and squat did not move (by design, to some extent), but boy oh boy did my deadlift fly. There is something magical about high rep, bouncing deadlifts that typical powerlifting programs are definitely missing out on. A jump from 290 lb x 21 to 315 lb x 19 is a fairly good sign that this program is effective for improving one’s deadlift. For context, The week before this program, I put up a very painful 385 lb x 4 deadlift at almost 10 lbs higher bodyweight. After the 6 week base phase, I hit 405 lb x 1 (maybe RPE 7) and it felt lighter than it ever has before. Peeled it immediately off the floor with no grind, whereas the 385 lb x 4 was an insane grind for each rep. Deadlifts off the floor have always been my weak point and this program busted the trend up for sure.

Pressing

As for overhead pressing, its harder for me to make a conclusion on the results. I definitely regained some of my prior strength, although pressing has always been very difficult for me. My shoulders get beat up easily and I’m generally afraid to put too much weight on them these days, but at no point in the program did they feel excessively vulnerable. The heavy (to me) pressing volume is not too high. For me this was probably a good thing, but others might need more. The aforementioned tweak in my upper back did not go away, but also did not get any worse.

Clean

My clean was also severely de-trained before going into this program, and the progression of barbell clean and press throughout the base phase did wonders to bring it back up. Despite my all time PR of 225 in the clean being from almost three years ago, I feel like I could get back there in only a few more weeks now.

Squats

I understand the purpose of squat volume being low, but I do feel that I would have benefited from some more volume targeting the quads in some capacity. It really felt like the squatting in this base phase was just enough to maintain my existing strength level and not push it, but then again I had been exposed to a high leg volume (9-10 HARD sets per week) in the months prior to running this.

Overall Experience

This was my first time using RPE, and it is a game changer. In the past, I have always just banged my head against the wall on LP programs and making no progress as a result from digging a recovery hole and climbing inside. I felt like the mixture of percentages and RPE forced me to get into the right thresholds but also keep things flexible. I never felt excessively beat up. When things started feeling too heavy, the program pulled back. When the volume got too high, the program pulled back. Throughout, Bromley’s prescribed RPE and intelligent percentages prevented burnout while still making great progress.

Conclusion

I would 100% run this program’s base phase again if I wasn’t pivoting my training to meet other goals. I will take the lessons learned in targeting the deadlift with me into the future, as this was the fastest progress I have ever made on the deadlift, bar none. I did however feel the desire to do more quad work throughout the program, but again, the quads by themselves are not focused much by design in Fullsterkur’s base phase.

Bromley’s meticulous attention to detail and mastery in periodization are evident throughout the program, with intensity, perceived effort, and volume being modulated in perfect harmony for the full six weeks. The symmetry alone is satisfying. It probably would make a beautiful chart. In practice, I never felt too beat up, but also never felt bored.

I would say if you are interested in getting into strongman or at least want a massive deadlift, this would be a great choice. Just be aware that this is not a powerlifting program, and squat and bench are not highly prioritized. I am grateful to Mr. Bromley for the absolute trove of free knowledge he has given to me and the community and look forward to incorporating the insights gained into the rest of my journey.